Instant Pot Chicken & Bean Soup
This soup was a revelation. It’s like healing in a bowl, but it’s also completely delicious.
We all know the old “chicken noodle soup when you’re sick” line. But it turns out, it really is an excellent way to power through colds and sickness in the winter. Bone broth is packed full of nutrients needed for boosting the immune system and helping the body heal and strengthen. Throwing in some red and orange veg for extra antioxidants, meat and beans for protein to give you an energy boost through a sick-day slump, and plenty of delicious flavour, and you’ve got yourself a pretty excellent sick day food.
Although, to be fair, I wouldn’t just eat this on sick days. It’s too good to limit it to just those days.
This soup has a deep, rich flavour and packs a tasty – as well as nutritious – punch. Plus, made in the Instant Pot, it takes only half an hour. Don’t have an Instant Pot? You’re missing out! You can still make this on the stove top and just leave it an extra 15-30 minutes to cook through properly.
Perfect for warming you through on a cold, cold day. Not to mention super kid-friendly, easy and affordable!
This veg-heavy chicken soup recipe is ready in half an hour and is warming, healing and completely delicious. Includes a stove top version for those who don't have an Instant Pot. Sugar free, gluten free and dairy free.
- 8 chicken thighs and/or drumsticks* (bone-in will give you bones for stock at the end of the meal and add more flavour, but it means picking off the meat at the end, so it's up to you whether you get it bone-in or not)
- 1 (red) onion, diced
- 1/2 radicchio or pointed cabbage, sliced into ribbons
- 1-2 sweet potatoes, chopped
- enough chicken or beef stock* to cover (about 3 cups/750ml)
- 1-2 (400g/14oz) tins butter beans
- a few handfuls of pitted black olives
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- a handful of fresh basil or parsley, shredded
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For the Instant Pot: set your IP to "Saute" for 5 minutes and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil or butter. Add the chicken and brown all over. Add the onion, radicchio or cabbage, sweet potato and stock, then set to "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" for 20 minutes (you could also use the "Meat" function on 20 minutes). Once cooked, move the valve to "venting" for quick release of pressure, then stir through the beans, olives, mustard and basil. Take the meat off the bone (if using bone-in) here if you like. Serve hot in big bowls with crusty bread on the side if you like.
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For the stove top: brown the chicken in 1 tablespoon of olive oil or butter in a large pot set over medium heat (should take about 5 minutes). Add the onion, radicchio or cabbage, sweet potato and stock, then bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes-1 hour or until the chicken is cooked through and veg is soft. Stir through the other ingredients and serve as above.
*use free-range or organic chicken and homemade stock for the most nutrients and best flu-fighting properties
